


Getting to Know (You)

by STARfruitNinja



Category: Final Fantasy XVI
Genre: Chocobos, Fluff, Gen, Gift Giving, M/M, could be either platonic or shippy whatever u want
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:40:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26508370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARfruitNinja/pseuds/STARfruitNinja
Summary: “This is...” He eyed the glimmering object in his hand. He then caught the expectant stare of the little noble peering up at him with even shinier eyes. He swallowed to try and relieve himself of the sudden pressure on him. “This is...?”“An earring!” Joshua finished for him, his little hands balled up into fists at his sides excitedly.
Relationships: Final Fantasy XVI Protagonist & Joshua (Final Fantasy XVI), Final Fantasy XVI Protagonist/Joshua (Final Fantasy XVI)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 26





	Getting to Know (You)

**Author's Note:**

> It’s been less than like 8 hours since the new trailer dropped and I’m already slapping characters together like it’s nobody’s business. This could be read as just a little shippy or totally platonic.  
> I have no clue what the story in ff16 is really going to entail but I just felt like writing this little thing. It’s not proofread, I put it together in about two hours and I don’t have a single brain cell in my noggin rn.  
> I decided to give the protagonist the name Felix. I didn’t catch any official name in the trailer but I thought I heard someone say “Felix” in the background, although that was probably just someone saying “Phoenix”. I may change it to the official name if it’s announced in the future.  
> Enjoy!

“This is...” Felix eyed the glimmering object in his hand. He then caught the expectant stare of the little noble peering up at him with even shinier eyes. Felix swallowed to try and relieve himself of the sudden pressure on him. “This is...?”

“An earring!” Joshua finished for him, his little hands balled up into fists at his sides excitedly.

“Er, yes, I can see that, but for what purpose have you handed it to me, young master?” It was a stunning piece of jewelry; a simple silver ring with a blue gemstone inlaid into it, a few decorative carvings framing the jewel. Hopefully this wasn’t another delivery, Felix had had quite enough of the entire staff seeing him more an errand boy than his true post of a guard. They had no qualms sending him flitting about; “Fetch this for me, would you?”, “Deliver this to my friend, please!”. He hadn’t a clue why they couldn’t just spend their own time doing it, despite the rewards it granted him and a better familiarity of the castle. Then again, perhaps it was his fault since he was soft enough to accept their requests in the first place.

“It’s a present for you, sir!” Joshua said, a blinding grin stretched from ear to ear on his face.

“Uh,” Felix’s brain helpfully supplied. “What’s the occasion, young master?”

Joshua’s hands found their way to his bangs. “This...is the first time having a retainer of my own. I thought it would only be approp— appropriate to commemorate in some manner!” He tucked his hair behind his left ear, revealing a familiar azure glint. “I noticed you wear earrings much like myself and I thought it would be...uh, fun if we matched, sir. Un—Unless it is not to your standards...?” His hands fidgeted with the hem of his tunic as he averted his gaze.

Felix was stunned at the young master’s words and gift, he stood dumbly, mouth agape without a clue as to what to say. He had only a basic idea of addressing nobles, but he had no instruction on what to do when receiving a gift from one.

“If— If it is not to your liking, you can simply sell it at one of the local merchants, I believe the coin it would grant you would serve plenty as a welcoming gift of sorts or—” Joshua’s flapping mouth snapped shut as Felix raised a hand and gently placed it upon the young boy’s head.

Joshua’s gaze followed him down as Felix crouched so he could look at him eye-to-eye. “I must apologise as I am not well versed in the manner of address for something like this. But know that I truly appreciate this gift you have granted me, young master. I will wear it with pride as long as you permit me to.” Felix offered a few pats upon the crown of Joshua’s head appreciatively before pulling away.

A flush spread across Joshua’s face and he seemed unable to meet Felix’s eyes. An awful bashful fellow, Felix thought to himself.

Felix’s glance down at the accessory sitting upon his dark red gloved palm and took it upon himself to equip it. He managed to unpin his old earring, a bland black band that he had bought himself one day on a whim, and tried to tread the new earring through his earlobe. He clicked his tongue as he missed the stem once more.

“Would you allow me?” Joshua offered. 

Felix huffed to himself. “I’m not sure if I should have—”

“Please,” Joshua said, not as a plea, but much more like an order as he held his hand out.

Felix swallowed his uncertainty and handed over the jewelry. “Thank you, young master. My gloves make these sorts of tasks difficult.”

Joshua chuckled. “No need for all the formality. You can just call me Joshua.”

Felix opened his mouth to protest. “Consider it an order,” Joshua said with a note of finality. Well, that was that, Felix supposed.

Joshua’s nimble hands made quick work of threading the earring with little difficulty. When his hands pulled away, Felix tested the jewelry, noticing its heavier weight unlike his previous accessory. 

“Do...do you like it?”

Felix hummed. “You tell me, Joshua. How do I look?” he said, testing his master’s name on his tongue. It was unusual, but he could get used to it.

Joshua appeared a bit flustered at the unexpected question and he hid behind his bangs once more. “Erm, I— I think you look quite...um...” he stammered out.

Felix barked out a laugh, “I will take no offense whatever you say.”

“No! Um, I think you look quite handsome, sir!”

“Thank you,” Felix smiled and pat Joshua’s head once more. “No need for formalities, right? Feel free to call me by name.”

Joshua brightened up at that. “Oh okay, sir— or, uh, Felix!”

His gaze flickered past Felix and he knew exactly what had caught his attention. 

“Her name is Storm,” Felix said, as he signaled for his cool grey chocobo to step up. Storm, ever the lady, was gracious enough to bow her head before Joshua, letting him get up close and personal to her fluffy down. 

“She’s very beautiful,” Joshua laughed as Storm nuzzled her large beak into his hair with a soft _‘kweh!’_.

“She likes you. That’s a rarity, y’know, she’s not always so friendly with people.” Felix kept a steady hand on her flank and a strong hand on her reins just in case she got a little overzealous as she did at times.

“Guess I’m— hey, that tickles!— Guess I’m lucky!” Joshua said, out of breath from Storm’s affection.

“You like chocobos?”

“Who doesn’t?” Joshua ran his hands through Storm’s crest feathers as she let out a pleased warble. “I’ve always been fascinated with them,” he looked disheartened, “but I’m not to have one until I receive my officially bred one.”

“No harm in learning now, wouldn’t you say?”

Joshua whirled around with a starry-eyed look. “Would you teach me?”

“We’ll have to convince His Highness beforehand, but I’d be happy to instruct you.” Felix’s hand scrubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck. “Although, I’m not sure of the ‘proper’ manners of chocobo riding. I’m entirely self-taught myself.”

Joshua’s jaw dropped. “You— You taught yourself!?”

Storm took the opportune time to pause her cuddling to return back to her master. “Storm was something of an...unexpected acquisition a long time ago.” Felix gave her a playful scratch under her chin before offering her some gysahl greens from his pouch to which she took gratefully. “I didn’t have anyone to teach me, so... I just did it myself. It’s quite simple when you get down to it, not that Storm made for a very flexible partner.” She let out a loud squawk before pecking his head. “Ow! Hey, I wasn’t saying that’s a bad thing, Stormy...”

Felix turned his attention back on Joshua, who stared at the both of them as though he had been struck dumb. “Oh, uh, I’m not gonna have you learn with Storm here, I think she’s a little too big for you—”

“Oh, no, no, no it’s...just—” Joshua seemed to struggle with his words before responding. “It seems as though you have a wealth of experience unlike most of the instructors I’m used to. Would you share some of your tales in training with me?”

Felix smiled lopsidedly. Joshua was awful studious. “How about this: we ask His Highness if I can teach you and I’ll tell you any story you want after that.”

Joshua beamed as though Felix had told him the best news of his life and he was positively brimming with excitement. “Absolutely!”

**Author's Note:**

> they,,,have same earring..,,


End file.
